Wednesday, January 30, 2013

The Best and Worst Rent Growth Markets of 2012

The Best and Worst Rent Growth Markets of 2012

 
Rents for new apartment leases crept up 3 percent nationwide last year, according to MPF Research.

The usual suspects, including San Francisco and New York, topped the list of rent growth leaders, leaving no room for surprises, says Greg Willett, MPF's vice president of research and analysis.
“It’s the strong fundamentals markets,” he said. “They’re all getting solid employment growth.”
San Francisco continues to lead the pack, followed by the other two Bay Area markets, San Jose and Oakland.

 “It’s a place that’s chronically undersupplied, a very tight market,” he said.
The number of apartments under construction at the end of 2012 rose to 224,000 units across the nation’s 100 largest metros, according to a RealPage news release.
Areas like Nashville and Denver were able to take a spot on the list due to having strong overall economies and allowing job growth and household creation to fill in the spots where people moved on to purchase homes.

“Nashville is one where you do have some active construction and some deliveries going on,” he said. “It remains healthy, but it bounces back and forth from quarter to quarter.”
Detroit, West Palm Beach and Orange County fell just below the top 10 with prices rising between 3.7 and 4.1 percent in those areas.

Virginia Beach/Norfolk, New Orleans and Riverside/San Bernardino fell to the bottom of the pack with growth under 1 percent.

Willett believes this could be attributed to how these specific areas are still struggling to bounce back from the recession’s economic downturn.

Las Vegas came in last with a negative figure.

“The economy is also struggling in Vegas and they are just so overstocked in total housing,” he said.

Top Ten Best Rent Growth Markets
1San Francisco8.0%
2San Jose 7.7%
3Oakland 7.1%
4Denver-Boulder 5.9%
5(tie) Nashville 5.1%
6(tie) New York5.1%
7Houston 4.8%
8Charlotte 4.6%
9Portland 4.4%
10Seattle-Tacoma 4.3%

Top Ten Worst Markets for Rent Growth
1Las Vegas-1.7%
2Virginia Beach/Norfolk0.3%
3New Orleans0.8%
4Riverside/San Bernardino0.8%
5Atlanta1.1%
6Indianapolis1.3%
7Hartford1.4%
8Providence1.4%
9Sacramento1.4%
10Washington, DC1.4%
Reference: MFE Rents
 
The Management Group
Property and HOA Management in Vancouver WA and Portland OR
http://www.TMGnorthwest.com
 
 

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Staying warm in your apartment this winter!


If you live in an apartment, there are still simple ways you can stay warm. It’s even more important if you live in an older building where the quaint architectural features that add the charm also bring the chill.

Let’s stay warm this winter:

1. Tape over leaky cracks along the edges of windows. (I use clear packaging tape.) Check to make sure it won’t hurt the paint, but I haven’t found it to be a problem.
2. Roll up a blanket or towel and place it under doors or windows to block drafts.
3. Put on a sweater.
4. Insulate the windows by hanging a clear vinyl shower curtain behind the drapes. We did this in one room with three exposed walls, and it really helped to stabilize the temperature.
5. Bake something.
6. Close air vents to unused spaces.
7. If you have a fireplace, make sure the damper is closed. (Speaking from experience here.)
8. Keep closet and cabinet doors closed (except for cabinets with pipes during a freeze warning).
9. Buy a programmable thermostat — you can take it with you when you move.
10. A humidifier causes the air to feel warmer.
11. Cuddle up under quilts.
12. Use a space heater, carefully.
13. Put an electric blanket on your bed.
14. Drink something hot.
15. Switch the ceiling fans to turn in reverse.
16. Cozy up with a hot water bottle.
17. Apply weather stripping to doors or windows (easy and cheap).
18. Soak in a hot bath.
19. Wear wooly socks.

Reference: Small Notebook



The Management Group
Property and HOA Management in Vancouver WA and Portland OR
http://www.TMGnorthwest.com

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Waterfront Condo for rent Portland OR

PREMIER COLUMBIA RIVERFRONT CONDO W/ EXCELLENT RIVER VIEW



707 N. Hayden Island Drive #410, Portland, OR 97217
This deluxe Hayden Island Condo is a gorgeous find and has the best view in the building with a direct view of Mount St. Helens as well as the Columbia River! You will love the exquisite hardwood floors in the entry and the kitchen as well as the look of the crown molding throughout the entire floor plan. Plush, tan wall to wall carpet graces the living area, halls and bedrooms, while the recessed lighting in the living room creates a warm welcoming feeling when entertaining company. The kitchen features all stainless steel appliances and spacious stone counters. The large laundry room comes with washer/dryer and a washing basin. The unbelievable extra large master suite is 12x17 sq. ft while the master bathroom features a walk in shower, additional jetted tub and huge walk in closet! Access the slate patio that is shared among the master and the dining area. The 2nd bedroom is a large size as well at 10x13 sq. ft and is on the opposite side of the layout as well as the large 12x9 bonus room and extra storage. The view from the large patio overlooks the French garden and as mentioned before, the Columbia River with a stunning view at night and during the winter season when the decorated holiday boats pass by! The building in which this condo is located features many community areas including a library and workout center. The trail fronting the river and this property is a great fully paved running and walking trail. Take a tour of the property today and call it home! JF/AH

By applying for this unit you acknowledge that you have read, understand, and accept the Rental Criteria. Click on this link (or copy into your browser) https://www.tmgnorthwest.com/forms/disclaimer.php?st=or Additionally, applications submitted without payment will not be processed until payment is received. A property is NOT reserved until the deposit to hold has been received.
Square feet: 2,100

Amenities

  • Area: Hayden Island
  • Type: Condo
  • Style: Ranch
  • Year Built: 2008
  • Floors: Carpet & Hardwood
  • Fireplace: Gas
  • Dining Room: Area
  • Bonus Room: Large
  • Parking: Assigned Parking
  • Garage Opener: 2
  • Laundry: W/D Included
  • Heat: Gas Forced Air
  • Air Conditioning: Yes
  • Range
  • Refrigerator
  • Dishwasher
  • Microwave
  • Paid Utilities: Garbage & Lawncare
  • Lease Term: 15 Months
  • Deposit: $2100
  • Other Terms: Non Smoking & Shown by Apt Only & CC&Rs & OSP

Rental Terms

Rent: $2,295.00
Security Deposit: $2,100.00
Available Now!

Video Walkthrough

Map of 707 N. Hayden Island Drive #410, Portland, OR 97217

Contact Us

TMG Property Management Services NW
(503) 858-1226 or (800) 678-6199
www.TMGnorthwest.com

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Community Associations Facts & Figures Nationwide



  • Almost 2 million volunteers serve on community association boards, with tens of thousands more serving as committee members.
  • There are at least 314,000 community association annual meetings every year, at least 2.5 million association board meetings and an estimated one million association committee meetings a year. 
  • Combined, the estimated value of these community association governance services is about $450 million. According to one estimate, about 26 percent of the eligible U.S. Population volunteers at some point during a year; community association leaders volunteer continuously during a year-a large percentage of them for many years.
  • In 2011, association boards supervised the collection of close to $40 billion in annual assessments and maintained investment accounts of more than $35 billion for the long-term maintenance and replacement of commonly held property.


The Management Group
Property and HOA Management in Vancouver WA and Portland OR
http://www.TMGnorthwest.com
 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Time to Cashout!


The business of investing in portfolios of distressed single-family homes has come to the point in its current cycle (in specific markets) that investors who got into the game early are beginning to cash out.

Surging demand for entry-level homes that can be rented out is creating windfalls for investors who bought homes at deep discounts a few years ago.

Single-family rental homes are finishing out 2012 as one of the hottest real-estate assets as more investors look for ways to bet on a housing recovery. Home prices have climbed this year amid rising demand and big declines in the number of homes for sale. Investors have contributed to this trend by scooping up homes and holding them off the market. Mom-and-pop investors have long dominated the single-family rental space, but over the past 18 months, larger investors have begun acquiring thousands of homes and developing the infrastructure needed to manage scattered rental properties.

American Residential started buying homes in Phoenix and expanded to Las Vegas, Southern California, Georgia and Florida. Others like Colony Capital LLC and Blackstone Group LP also are trying to put together a rental business in multiple markets. American Residential raised $224 million in a private stock offering in May and has formed a private real-estate investment trust. It plans to file for an initial public offering in the coming year.

National home prices were up by 6% from one year ago in October, according to CoreLogic, a real-estate research firm. Until now, bulk sales have been limited to small sales of one or two dozen properties, and sales of homes with tenants in them have been even rarer. Fannie Mae in February marketed eight pools of 2,400 homes for sale, with most of them rented out. But the mortgage-finance company opted against selling any in bulk. Instead, it entered into three joint-venture arrangements this past fall that effectively sold minority stakes in seven of the pools.

A version of this article appeared Dec. 26, 2012 in The Wall Street Journal



The Management Group
Property and HOA Management in Vancouver WA and Portland OR
http://www.TMGnorthwest.com